WORLD : Greek tragedy... Elpa Rally halted after 3 stages - 30 September 2003 - 16:16
The 28th Achaia Elpa Rally began as planned when Miguel Campos led off the teams at the start of the first leg of the all asphalt rally. However already on Stage 1, tragedy struck when Dimitris Koliopanos and Theofanis Hasiotis in a Toyota Yaris, went off the road 3km from the end. He hit a wooden pole with a 2 ton electrical transformer on the top, and this fell on top of the car. Koliopanos, whose father is a Greek Member of Parliament, was killed and his co- driver taken to hospital.
When the teams arrived back at the first service of the day, they entered a 30 minute unscheduled re-grouping, whilst the Organising Committee could consider the situation. All the Greek drivers wished to retire and did so, but the three cars involved in the European Championship decided to continue until ordered to stop by the Stewards.
They continued out to Stage 4, but before they could start, the Organising Committee proposed a halt to the rally pending a final decision from the Stewards. After the first 3 Stages, Thiry had a lead of 5.7 seconds over Campos.
After the tragic accident, The Organising Committee published the following announcement:
« The accident took place at about 09.15 (local time) when the car No. 35, which was driven in the closed to the public special stage of the rally by Dimitris Koliopanos (driver) and Theofanis Hasiotis (co-driver), went off the road and hit a double wooden high-voltage electricity pole... the injured co-driver is already out of danger and he will receive the adequate medical treatment. »
It is the first time a driver has been killed in a rally in Greece.
The Organising Committee of the Achaia 28th Elpa Rally and all those either connected or participating in the rally, express their deep condolences to the drivers family.
Final Official Classification of 28th Achaia Elpa Rally: first is Bruno Thiry with 23.51.2 min., second - Miguel Campos (23.57.4 min.) and third - Evgeny Vasin (25.16.0 min.)
According to the rules of the Championship, the points will be awarded as follows, Bruno Thiry 200pts, Miguel Campos 160pts, and Evgeny Vasin 120pts. This means that Thiry has narrowed the gap to Campos and now trails by 120 pts. The top of the Points Table now reads
1 Miguel Campos 1240 pts.
2 Bruno Thiry 1120 pts.
Evgeny Vasin has doubled his points total and now has 240, which places him just outside the top 3.
The final co-efficient 20 rally in the Championship will take place in the South of France, in Antibe, 24th to 26th Oktober 2003.
Press Release
European Rally Championship